Truck loading



Aug. 18, 1953 D. E. RUEcKER-r TRUCK LOADING Filed 001:.. l2, 1949INVENTOR. eahf.' Puec/fer" A Trop/Vey I Patented Aug. 18, 1953 TRUCKLOADING Dean E. Rueckert, Mokema, Ill., assignor to Swift & Company,Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application October 12, 1949,Serial No. 120,963

4 Claims. (Cl. 105-370) l This invention relates to a method and means`for loading cargo vehicles and more particularly to a method forloading such vehicles with relatively flexible containers and a meansfor carryving out such a method.

In the transportation of relatively bulky, fran- Vgible or flexiblecontainers, such as cardboard or paper boxes, containing meat productsor other nonrigid products, the problem of Ydamage due v Taking, for ex-#i ample, meat products packaged in corrugated 'cardboard containers,itis not unusualto nd a to overloading is ever present.

relatively large percentage of a shipment damaged tosome extent aftereven a short haul in a motor truck or the like. vThe primary cause ofsuch'damage is that the weight of the containers andthe productscontained therein becomes very great when the truck is loaded to fullcapacity.

'.Those containers which are on the bottom levels of the load take thebrunt of the weight, and since the products contained therein arenonrigid and arate the load into sections and thereby distribute'someofthe weight. However, this vsystem has several inherentdisadvantages. In the rstinstance;this dunna'ge method requiresthat a`supply of bulky materials, such as boards andthe like, `be kept at theloading docks oron the trucks where it is'in the way and takesupconsiderable valuable space. The use of dunnage involves the seriousproblemv of temporarily storing it out of the Away during the unloadingprocess. Secondly, in placing the dunnage on the load, there is thedanger that the edges of the boards or the like will'rip into thecontainers and effectras much damage as would the weight without thedunnage. The use of rigid dunnage usually reduces the pay load becauseof weight as well as bulk thereof. Finally, and probably most importantfrom `an economical standpoint, the use of dunnage ties up racks,boards, and the like which have valuable uses elsewhere, and inaddition., due to constant breakage, the dunnage must be often replaced.YThis method has proven to be both inefcient and expensive, but has beenalmost universally resorted to in the past as the vbest-known method forpreventing the aforementioned Weight damage to the lower sections 'ofloads composed lof relatively frangible containers.

2 An obvious solution to the problem would seem to be not to load thetrucks to such a capacity that the weight would damage the lowercontainers of the load. However, in order to get maximum efficiency andlow trucking costs, shippers find it necessary to load trucks to fullcapacity and take their chances with weight breakage.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a method forloading relatively flexible containers wherein damage due to weightbreakage is minimized.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a method for loadingrelatively flexible containers whereby the maximum capacity of thevehicle isutilized and the containers are maintained in undamagedcondition.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a method forloading relatively flexible containers which overcomes the disadvantagesof the prior art methods set forth above.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a means for carryingout the improved method of loading of this invention whereby the weightof the upper portion of a load is so distributed as to substantiallyeliminate damage therefrom to the lower portion of the load.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a resilient,load-relieving means positioned between the upper and lower portions ofa load of relatively flexible containers or the like whereby weightdamage to the lower portion of the load is substantially eliminated.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a load composed ofrelatively exible containers, said load being capable of withstandingsevere shocks without damage to the lower portion thereof through weightstress.

Additional objects, if not specifically set forth herein, will beapparent to one skilled in the art from the following detaileddescription of this invention.

Generally, the present invention contemplates dividing the load into twoapproximately equal portions by means of a flexible, resilient,tensionally-mounted platform extending between the upper and lowerportions of the load, said plat- 's'ligh'tly over halfway 'across thebody I.

3 serve to clarify 'both the method and the preferred means for carryingit out.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 depicts a conventional truck or trailer body equipped withmeans for carrying out the methods of this invention.

Figure 2 is a top view of a truck-trailer showing the spacing betweenthe load-relieving straps of this invention,

Figure 3 is an end view of a vehicle body loaded in accordance with themethod of the present invention,

Figure 4 represents a graphic picture of the manner in which the methodof this invention relieves and distributes the weight load on the lowerportion of the cargo, and

Figure 5 illustrates a modication Yin the manner of applying'tension tothe straps used to carry out the method of this invention.

Referring now to Figure l, there is shown a straps on the left-hand sidelof the body are shown as equipped with a buckle Il, adapted to engage`and hold in tension the companion straps 'from the 'right-hand side ofthe body.

' As clearly Y'shown in Figure 2, the straps are so spaced in the truckbody as to, in effect, form a resilient, tensionally-mounted platformextend- 'ing the 'length of the 'said'loodih Preferably the straps are'spaced about 12 vinches apart `so as to prevent relatively smallcontainers from slipping between them.

Figure 3 shows an end View of a truck kor trailer body i loaded inAaccordance with the method of the present invention and utilizing themeans pictured in Figures 1 and 2 for carrying out such method. 5represents various odds'ha'ped containers of 'cardboard 'or otherrelatively 'f'rangible material piled 'one atop the other to form 'thelower-'portion ofthe load. A This lower portion of the loa'd 'is builtup to a height just below the strap brackets 3. VThen the load-relievingstraps 2 'are tensionaily secured together b'y vmea'r'is 'of the bucklesl! and other 'containers 6 Ipiled atop the straps to make 'up the Aupper'portion 'of the load.v The 'weight of containers 6 "c'aus'es the straps2 to deflect 'so that'the'straps rest atop the lower portion of the loadon top 'of containers'. These straps, due to their ten's'ional mounting,take up a considerable amount of the stress applied bythe load on topthereof and distribute it to the brackets and thence tothe walls -of thebody I.

In loading a vehicle in accordance with the present invention, thevload-relieving 'straps will be successively placed in .position as theVlower portion of Ythe load is made up and 4the upper portion of theload placed on top of each section 'of 'the straps as they arepositioned so that the 'complete load is Vp''ro'gres'sively built up insections Vfrom the rear of 'the -cargo 'body lto the open end "thereof,

Figure `4 illustrates `graphically Athe result obtained 'by vloading in'accordance 'with'the method of this invention. The "force vectors orarrows are not' drawn Jto scale and are for purposes of The Yillustration only. It can be seen that the load above the load-relievingstraps 2 applies relatively great force to the straps, as shown by thelength of the vectors 1. Due to the tensional mounting of the strap 2,as the said strap is deflected downwardly by the weight illustrated by agreat portion of this stress is transferred to the 'supporting walls ofthe truck where yit is pictorially represented by vectors 8. Theremaining weight is transmitted through the straps to that portion ofthe load contained beneath such straps, but is so diminished, as shownby vectors 9, as to materially reduce the danger of crushing the flowerportion 'of 'the load.

Figure "5 illustrates one of the many modications which may be made inthe means for carrying y"out the method of this invention. Shown in this`drawing is a strap Ill fixedly mounted at one end `to a bracket II bymeans of a bolt I2. This strap is of greater length than the width ofthe body I and is fastened thereacross by passing the free end of thestrap through bracket I3 and over bar I4. By this means sufficient forcecan be `applied 'to the strap to positively tension the same, and thestrap may then lbe secured in such tensioned condition by buckle I5,aixed to strap I0. Y

As can Ybe seen from the above discussion, the method of this inventionessentially comprises three steps:

1. Placing a portion of the load in -the base of the truck;

2. Providing a tensionally-mounted platform of straps or the like abovesuch lower portion;

3. Placing the remaining portion `of the lo'a'd atop the saidtensonally-mounted platform.

It is obvious that many v'modililsation's and variations of theinvention as hereirrb'efore 'set forth may be made without departingmaterially from the spirit and scope thereof. For example, the strapsused to form the tens'ionallymounted platform may be made 'vertically'adjustable so as to permit a wider latitude in Athe positioning of thesaid platform. Likewise, other means of fastening and tensioning therstraps than those illustrated herein 'could obviously Vbe used.

`The loading method and 'means which 'form the subject matter of thepresent invention 'successively overcome the disadvantages of the priorart loading methods. This method .permits of full capacity loadingwithout danger .of damage to the lower portions ofthe load. It 'doesaway with the necessity of carrying dun'n'ag'e about on the trucks or ofstoring such dunnag'e at the loading dock. The resilient, load-relievingstraps take up Apractically no space in the loaded trucks, in contrastto rigid racks, dunnage. or the like, since they are deformed to conformto a considerable degree to the contours :of the lower portion of theload. As pointed out in the previous discussion and fas illustrated inYFigure 4, this method distributes the weight of .the upper portion ofthe load to a large extent -to the side walls of the vehicle body andawayfrom the lower portion of the load. Even should the vehicle body beYof relatively light construction, it has been found that the upperportion of the load tends to resist any bowing Aor bending of the sidesby .providing support to the said sides with which it is in contact, 'ascan be seen in Figure 3. Further, by the provision of a resilient,

'tensiona1Iy-'n'iounted, load-relieving means, 5a certain 'amount of"fgive" or 'ex'ibility is parted to the load'wliereby 'the load, 'andVparticularly the lower portion thereof, may better withstand a severebump or jar caused by the vehicle hitting a rut, curb, or the likewithout crushing or damaging the individual containers or productsmaking up the load.

The present invention is applicable to the loading of any product orcommodity which is packaged in easily deformable containers or which issusceptible to crushing when loaded in the conventional manner withoutthe use of dunnage or the like. It may obviously be applied to theloading of any commodity whether deformable or not, but, as previouslypointed out, it nds particular applicability when applied to the loadingand transportation of goods susceptible to crushing. It is not intendedto restrict the invention to lany particular type of body, but it isconsidered applicable to loading stake-body trucks, refrigerated trucks,closedbody trucks, and refrigerated and nonrefrigerated trailers or thelike.

I claim:

1. Means for distributing a substantial proportion of the verticalweight stress exerted by a superimposed portion of the vehicle load tothe vehicle side walls comprising: a plurality of flexible straps spacedat substantial intervals longitudinally of said Vehicle body side wallsland affixed thereto at points equidistant from the vehicle body floor,said straps extending transversely of said vehicle body so as to form ahorizontal platform parallel to said floor; means for positivelyapplying tension solely in a horizontal plane to each of said strapsindividually; and

means for securing such straps in such indi- Vidually-tensionedcondition whereby to assume a part of the vertical weight stress of thesuperimposed load.

2. A method of loading a vehicle body open at one end only whichcomprises: securing to the side Walls of said vehicle body a pluralityof exible straps spaced at substantial intervals longitudinally thereofat points on said side Walls equidistant from the vehicle body floorwhereby said straps extend transversely of said vehicle body so as toform a horizontal platform parallel to said floor; placing a pluralityof relatively flexible containers Within and adjacent the closed end ofsaid Vehicle body beneath said horizontal platform; placing a. pluralityof containers within and adjacent the closed end of said vehicle body sovas to be supported by the flexible platform; adjusting the horizontaltension exerted on each of said flexible straps so that the verticalweight stress of the superimposed containers is partially assumed bysaid iiexible platform and distributed to the vehicle side walls andpartially assumed by the containers beneath the platform; and repeatingthis procedure from the closed to the open end of the Vehicle body.

3. A load, comprising the combination of a vehicle body; a plurality offlexible containers and a plurality of flexible straps spaced atsubstantial intervals longitudinally of said Vehicle body side walls andaffixed thereto at points equidistant from the vehicle body floor, saidstraps extending transversely of said vehicle body so as to formY aplatform parallel to said floor, each of said straps being horizontallytensionable, said platform subdividing the containers into a lowerportion, supported by the floor of said vehicle body and an upperportion, the vertical weight stress of which is transmitted in part tothe vehicle body side Walls by said platform, and in part to thecontainers which form the lower portion of the load.

4. In a vehicle body adapted to transporting goods, the combination of aplurality of spaced, flexible, vertical stress-relieving members affixedto said vehicle side Walls, positioned longitudinally in and extendingtransversely of the said vehicle body and means for positively applyingtension to each of said members to form a flexible, load-supportinghorizontal platform within said body in a plane parallel to the floor ofsaid vehicle body.

DEAN E. RUECKERT.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date '104,485 Morse June 21, 1870 254,630 kFarrar Mar. 7, 1882876,887 Shires J-an. 14, 1908 1,247,230 Daly Nov. 20, 1917 2,051,381Kivlin Aug. 18, 1936 2,056,704 Anderson Oct. 6, 1936 2,226,667 Love Dec.31, 1940 2,354,861 Hermann Aug. 1, 1944 2,490,434 Harris Dec. 6, 1949

